to ask if Kegels really do make all the difference...?

[emeraldgirl1]

Sorry, I know this is a pg related question but the pregnancy talk boards seem to be down (again) and anyway I'm assuming hoping most on here have gone through pregnancy and so can help/have an opinion!

Am almost 12w preg and finding it v hard to remember to do enough pelvic floor squeeeeezes during the day; inevitably I remember at about 11pm when in bed and terrify husband suddenly try to fit in a dozen or so then... obviously not exactly as advised!

Can I ask (for encouragement to TRY to remember) if they really do make all the difference? Only friend I've mentioned this to said she was incredibly lazy about them but she did have a CS so maybe didn't make much difference for her?

I find that now I'm an old gimmer in my 40s, having done them for all these years is paying off. Reading here what some people go through, I am now very hankful I've bothered as my pelvic floor seems to be in much better shape than many people's, especially given that I've had 5 babies. It's not perfect, but it's far from "bad".

thankful too

Thx PomBear - and congrats on the state of your pelvic floor after 5 kids!!! :)

PomBear - sorry, to quote your post... 'reading here what some people go through..." Oh, dear, what do they go through?? sorry, am ignorant of all this!!!

walking alot and sitting on a ball ca help strengthen them too. I forgot to do the actual excercises and was quite incontinent after dd1. Walked alot when pregnant with dd2, and am ok now....

Yes I think it makes a difference. Also it helps during labour if you know how to relax those muscles - important if you're pushing out a monster headed baby

imonthefone - right, that's me off for a walk, then!

Yes, they make an enormous difference.

Not so much during delivery (by whatever route) as you'll get through that whatever yo muscle tome.

But it'll make a big difference to your urinary continence post-natally and indeed possibly life long. They are also recommended after any abdominal surgery, as the incision through muscle groups has a knock-on effect to those muscles.

Iggly thanks - how many/often did you do them a day?

Whenever I remembered but I was told to do then in groups of ten. So ten rapid squeezes, 10 squeezes which get gradually stronger (so imagine your pelvic floor is an elevator and you're going up ten floors) and hold the last squeeze for ten secs.

It's also worth doing yoga if you can - they teach you some good moves.

Thanks Iggly :)

I do them religiously, have done since I was a teenager

I think my pelvic floors ok but had 2 c/sections, no VB's although apparently its simply being pg that affects your pelvic floor

Have no leakage issues and have also blushingly asked DH if I am tight down there (so sorry for crudeness) and he says I am ....but then it would be more than his lifes worth to say otherwise I guess :o

Bet you are all doing them while reading this thread i know i am

yes, IME
i've always done them, and was complimented by a midwife on my "muscle tone"
i have given birth to two 90+ centilers, and am the only one in my friendship group who can bounce on a trampoline without fear of leaking wee.

Yes they make a massive difference! I do them but not as often as I should really as sometimes I wee a bit when I sneeze. It helps to have control over those muscles in sex as well.

Get clenching OP! Stick a note on your fridge if you have to!

Do they actually tighten your fanjo?

Or is it just kind of, damage limitation? :o

the incision through muscle groups has a knock-on effect to those muscles

Don't they just separate the muscles though rather than cut through them!? I thought I read that recently!

I didn't mean to scare you! There have just been several threads recently about people weeing themselves - trampolines and running (neither of which I do ever ) seem to be the main culprits.

This is very interesting breakingmuscle.com/womens-fitness/stop-doing-kegels-real-pelvic-floor-advice-women-and-men

Didn't do me any good. My pelvic floor is somewhere around my knees after several back to back instrumental deliveries.

A man where I used to work came in and told us his doctor had told him to do pelvic floor exercises "as if I were pregnant"

stillorsparkling where did you read that? I read that a long term study found no difference in mode of delivery. So by then time you get older it makes little difference.

Yeah I thought that too iggly